The Better Days
by Mitternachto
Summary: Those were the better days, the days before, during and after Thane's and Irikah's wedding ceremony. Those were busy days, filled with emotion and joy, and they knew that no matter what happened in the future, those would be the days that truly mattered.
1. Worries of the caring

The Better Days

This is my attempt at adding to the Thane/Irikah library, haha. I simply wanted more stories of their everyday life together, and this is what I ended up with. Story will be updated more or less regulary, adding more chapters as far as my imagination goes.

Story is set before, during and after their, in loss of a better word, wedding ceremony. Before Kolyat was born, and before they started suffering the after-effects of Thane's profession.

English isn't my first language, so please bear with me if there are any spelling errors. Rated M for future chapters.

...

The sound of the door slamming shut made her stop what she was doing, and she froze to listen. There were rarely any visitors here, their house was positioned too far from the city, and _he_ would never slam the door in such a manner. She put her book down beside her and quickly got up from the bed she'd been half-slouching in. The person in the hallway made a rustling sound, and a quiet hiss of a curse could be heard, followed by a _thump_.

Irikah quirked an eyebrow. She would recognize his voice anywhere; why was he sneaking into his own house? Badly sneaking, even. Still cautious, she walked slowly towards the hallway, tipping on light feet. A sour thought flew through her head, and she cursed herself for not being properly dressed, wearing only her undergarnments and a loose shirt - she hadn't expected him home until tomorrow.

Being drawn by the choices to hurry back to her bedroom and throw her nightgown on _or _running to the hallway to meet him, she fought a quick and silent battle with herself, before another loud thump distracted her and she automatically started walking towards the hallway again, this time pacing up a bit.

As she reached the hallway, she could see a shadow moving in the kitchen. She frowned once, surprised he hadn't heard her yet. More rustling sounds were heard from the dining area, and Irikah pressed herself to the wall next to the kitchen door, and cautiously peeked around the corner.

It was him. She let out a quick sigh of relief – who else would it be? He stood with his back towards her, being very busy going through the cupboards above the sink, obviously looking for something.

He still hadn't noticed her. A smirk crossed Irikah's face, and she tip-toed closer to him, trying to be as sneaky as possible. When she was only inches from him, she raised her hand and let her index finger slide in a wiping movement along his neck.

She chuckled as he froze, seemingly way too composed to even flinch. She felt his muscles tense under her hand, which was now placed on his shoulder, but that was all. No reaction. She felt that her scare had somewhat failed, so she gently touched his neck with her lips and whispered in his ear.

"Welcome home."

In stead of turning around to face her, he simply nudged his cheek against hers in a nuzzling movement, as a smirk crossed his lips. She could feel the slightly rumbling sound of a chuckle travelling up from his stomach.

"I did not expect you to be awake," Thane said, speaking in such a low voice that she could barely hear him. She was still standing behind him, one hand on his back, and she frowned at his words.

"Bet you didn't, otherwise you wouldn't have come sneaking into your own kitchen. What are we looking for in the cupboards, killer bedbugs?"

He let out another chuckle, louder this time, and finally turned around to face her. Irikah met his eyes at once, trying to scan his face for any clues to what he might have done this night. But as usual his face was like a blank paper, giving nothing away.

"As a matter of fact, I was just-" Thane abruptly interrupted himself as he broke eye contact with her and swept his gaze over her body. She could feel his sight linger at her shirt (sloppily hanging around her neck, exposing her left shoulder), move to her dark purple panties (with little black hearts spread over the fabric, in a very girly pattern), and finally stop at the excessive amount of bare skin she was displaying (not at all a proper amount of skin to show if you were a soon-to-be-but-yet-not-married-woman). Irikah could feel a blush coming creeping over her neck, and she lowered her gaze, waiting for him to scorn her.

He didn't. Instead he looked mildly nervous, apparently not at all expecting her to rush towards him in the middle of the night dressed only in her bed wear. Although not entirely comfortable with what she was wearing herself, Irikah was somewhat pleased by his reaction. Speechless was always good when it came to Thane, since it occured so rarely. She dared to peek up at him. However, as soon as she threw a glance at his chest, she let out a whimpering moan of horror, and covered her mouth with her hands, eyes huge with terror.

There was a huge, gaping wound slashed across his chest, dark brown in the middle, and with splotches of dried blood surrounding it. He was pressing his right arm tightly to it, possibly to prevent more blood from sipping out. When he saw the sheer horror in her face, he hurridly tried to explain himself.

"It's nothing, Irikah, you do not have to worry the slightest. I had wished to treat it before you saw it, but you took me by utter surprise." He stroke a hand gently over her cheek.

"B-but it's huge! You have to treat it at once!" She started to look through the kitchen cupboards like a hurricane, finding some alcohol to clean it with as well as a bandadge. They spent the next tewnty minutes on the kitchen floor, Irikah trying like a madman to treat him, and him trying to comfort her, coming with weak objections to her worry. Thane quickly stopped trying, however. He knew how persistant she could be when she had decided to.

When they were done, she helped him to his feet (oblivious to the fact that he had no trouble walking by himself, and that he as a matter of fact had walked entirely on his own through the city and back home minutes before). She muttered low curses as she pushed him into her bedroom.

"Irikah.. what are you, I am perfectly fine, I can assu-"  
>"Silence, you. I do not, and I repeat do NOT want to wake up every hour worrying over if you're bleeding to death in your own bed. You're sleeping in my room tonight, Sere Krios, whether you have anything against it or not."<p>

As a matter of fact, he didn't have anything against it at all.

...

To be continued.


	2. Worries of the innocent

Sorry for short chapter, but I wanted this out fast, because the feelings Irikah are experiencing in this chapter is vital to the rest of the story. Next chapter will be longer!

Irikah woke up as her heart skipped a beat or two when she realized that she'd overslept. Without thinking, she flew up from the bed and threw herself on her feet, cursing slightly as her sight went dark from the fall in blood preassure. She forced herself to sit down on the bed for a few seconds, regaining her thoughts and trying to recall the night before.

There had been some wine. Her eidetic memory strongly protested and told her that it had been quite an amount, but she waved the thought away and started to collect her memories.  
>Since that night when Thane had come home in the middle of the night injured, he had made a habit out of sleeping in her room. Not that she had anything against it, but it was getting harder for her to keep her self-control. She had sworn to herself that nothing inapropriate would happen before they were husband and wife. How she cursed herself for that promise now. Laying awake at night, knowing that <em>he<em> was only inches from her (probably being as frustrated as she was), and knowing that the only thing she could really do was_ hold his hand and kiss him on the cheek_. She let out an embarrased groan and let her shoulders and head dip down in defeat as she sat on her bed, face buried in her hands. She was acting like she was fifteen again.

Still, she couldn't let go of the thought that she was completely inexperienced in that field. Sure, she had had boyfriends before, but never anything serious, not serious _enough_. Nothing she had wanted to waste her virginity on. Irikah had never really given it much thought before. Not until she met him, at least.

She had never felt that special attraction that all of her female friends never shut up about. That feeling that apparently made her want to rip of her clothes and threw herself on the ground for someone (she could feel her face darkening in embarrassment with this thought, and she quickly let out a short cough, in case anyone had heard what she had been thinking).

But with Thane, everythng had changed. Every movement he made seemed to be filled to the brim with thought. He never did an unplanned movement, never one unwanted reflex, and something about that made her fingers itch. That complete and utter control he had over his body made her bite her lip in excitement (at least she thought it was excitement and not anxiety), and it made her fingers itch as well. That was the most certain sign, finger itch. She had never heard any of her friends mention that certain feeling while speaking of their nightly escapades, but since she had no experience at all, she surely hoped that itching fingers were a sign of attraction to the opposite sex.

Speaking of the devil, something moved behind her and she quickly flicked her neck and threw a glance over her shoulder.

His chest was heaving up and down in a slow pace, each breath causing his perfectly sculpted chest to rise and lower itself. Thane looked every bit at peace when he was sleeping. It was as if all the mindless and calm mood he never seemed to possess while awake finally showed itself when he was sleeping. She could see that his eyes were perfectly still under his eyelids, hinting that he was sleeping a peaceful and dreamless sleep. Not that drell dreamed, not in the way dreams were usually described. Drell dreams were pieces of their perfect memory mixed with personal thoughts, therefore their dreams were seldom unrealistic and untrustworthy.

She realized that she had been staring at his chest for the past four minutes, and she quickly shook her head and got up from her bed. The reason she had to get up early this morning was that she was in dire need of some friend advice. She was only weeks away from becoming a wife, and her best friends for life was going away on a long trip this afternoon, meaning this was the last chance to speak with her before she returned for the wedding. 

Marma had been Irikah's closest friend and almost-sister since they were children. There was nothing in this world she wouldn't tell her, and right now she needed some serious advice from the older and far more experienced Marma. Heck, she was getting married in a few weeks, and the only things she know about the opposite sex was that whatever you did do not do anything like that hanar in that holo did to that poor asari woman because it wasn't anything like that or at least Marma said it wasn't but she couldn't help but being fascinated by what the hanar did to the poor asari and whenever she thought aboud that damned holo she blushed and crap she was late now but she really wondered if it really worked like that for real and...

With a blush deeper than an elcor voice she got up to quickly get dressed.


	3. Worries of girltalk

"I can't believe you're saying this."

Marma rolled her beautiful teal eyes and shook her head in a disbelieving motion. She looked down on her young drell friend, so anxious and insecure – so different from the Irikah she used to know. Her usually so fierce golden eyes were now filled with uncertainty and doubt, her normally straight posture was changed into a slumping figure, almost crouching before her.

The older girls heart melted a little at the sight of Irikah, and she sat down next to her, sighing gently. "Silly little Iri, you always worry too much".

Irikah let out a sigh herself as she leaned her head on Marma's shoulder, closing her eyes. Marma noticed the familiar faint scent of autumn leaves and peaches that always seemed to surround Irikah. Seeing her friend helpless in a way like this really touched Marma, since it was such a rare sight.

They had known each other since they were children. Marma was three years older than Irikah, and had always seen it as her duty to protect her younger friend. Not that Irikah often needed protection – Marma didn't know anyone that could be as sassy as Irikah could when she was in the mood, but under that cocky surface was still a younger and slightly frightened girl. At least that was how Marma saw it, hence she had made it her duty to be the responsible one.

Other than the mutual caring they shared for each other, the two girls differed in almost everything else. Marma was very beautiful, and well aware of it. She had curves in all the right places, and confidence enough to use the fact that people more often than not found themselves staring at her. Her deep red scales were tinted with a touch of black, and along with her blazing blue eyes it made a wonderful contrast. Irikah was shorter, and thinner. People always noticed Marma first, and then Irikah. She was thinner, not as voluptuous and above all else she lacked Marma's charm. Her dark blue scales were discreeter than her friend's, and overall she was a toned down version of Marma.

"I don't know. I just never...you know. It feels like I barely met him, and now we're getting married all of a sudden..."

Marma rolled her eyes again. "You've been seeing him for ages, Ir. And I mean ages. I wouldn't say anything if you had been seeing him for a couple of months, but it's been _years_. And do I even need to remind you of your behaviour during that first period?"

Irikah lowered her eyes, and a blush spread on her cheeks.

"I think not," Marma snorted. Her perfect memory recalled the days when Irikah had first started seeing Thane. She had never stopped talking about him. Ever. Everything evolved around him, what he did, what he said, and Marma had tried her hardest to be supportive and listen as a good friend, but after months of Irikah worshipping ever move he made, Marma had had enough and kindly told her friend that if she ever heard another description of exactly how Thane chewed his food, she would kill herself on the spot. 

Irikah signed and looked up to the sky. It wasn't raining today, which was odd for Kahje. The sun was peeking at her from behind a cloud, and she could feel the warmth on her skin. It was a nice feeling. She slumped her head backwards and laid down on the grass. Marma did the same.

It had all seemed so simple back then. She loved him, she really did, and she hoped he loved her too. But to marry someone... they would spend their lives together. Maybe even get kids. Irikah mentally shuddered. It had all seemed so far away, but now? And what about the wedding night? Things happened on weddings nights.

"Are you ever going to marry, Mar?" Irikah said with a faint voice, apparently still half lost in thought.

The older girl let out a barking laughter. "Pfft, who knows. Not yet, at least. I'm having far too much fun being single as it is. But when I do, he'll be the hottest drell on Kahje, bet your ass on it."

Irikah laughed out loud. "Yeah right! As if he could ever beat Thane."

Marma rolled over to her side, looking Irikah straight in the eye, a wicked grin displayed on her pretty mouth. "Wanna bet? To start with, he'll be taller than me, not a fucking midget like Krios."

"He's not a midget! He's taller than you, dammit, and you're freakishly tall. There isn't one bad thing about Thane, bet _your_ ass on it."

Marma always accepted a challenge.

"Oh yeah? Okay let's see then. First, he's short. Secondly, he's got love handles. Thirdly, he's creepy. And boring. And probably a virgin as well."

Irikah let out the loudest snort yet, took a deep breath and returned the attack;

"He's taller than you. He doesn't have love handles, those are muscles and they are spread beautifully over his entire body, trust a woman who knows. He's not creepy, he's _mysterious_, that's a difference. He's not boring, only frightened to death to talk to you since you're all over him every time you meet. And he's not a virgin. I... think. And, so what if he is, you say it like it's a bad thing!"

Marma laughed and hit Irikah lightly on her shoulder. She had won this round. And Marma knew she was telling the truth. Krios was the catch of the year, no denying. Of course Marma was all over him every time they met, she would have died to have him for herself. But he belonged to Irikah, and she respected that.

There weren't many people on Kahje that knew of Thane's profession, but Marma was one of them. Irikah had told her after a long time of doubting, but eventuelly it had been too much for her to carry on her own, so she had told her best friend. Not that Marma had been surprised; afterwards she couldn't believe how she had _not_ taken Krios for an assassin, he fit perfectly with the assassin description. But she wasn't worried. She had seen the way he looked at Irikah, and how he treated her. Only because of that was she willing to give Irikah to Krios, otherwise she would have refused. She had chased off bad boyfriends for her "little sister" before, wether Irikah had liked it (or been aware of it) or not. But Krios was okay by her book.

"When are you leaving?" Irikah broke the silence.

"Tomorrow morning. But I won't be gone for long. I'll be back to see you marry limeface."

Irikah stuck her tongue out. Then she sighed again. "I'll miss you."

"No you won't," Marma replied. "You'll be too busy, trust me..."


End file.
